Cuba Gooding Jr. Escapes Prison Time By Complying With Plea Agreement

Cuba Gooding Jr. has avoided prison time in a plea agreement that puts an end to the criminal case that has hovered over him for several years.

According to NBC New York, the Jerry McGuire actor will not be going to prison after finalizing a conditional plea agreement he made in April.

The prosecutor in the case, Coleen Balbert, stated that Gooding has not been in any trouble and has also finished the six months of alcohol and behavior modification counseling he agreed to. Based on the prior arrangement, he was allowed to withdraw his misdemeanor plea and plead guilty to a harassment violation.

Balbert said she has received “positive reports for the last six months” from the therapist treating Gooding. The Boyz n the Hood actor has continued with the prescribed treatment beyond the time he agreed to with his plea agreement.

He will not have a criminal record.

BLACK ENTERPRISE reported in April that Gooding pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of forcibly touching a woman while attending a nightclub in New York City in 2018.

The actor was accused in a New York State Supreme Court indictment of violating three different women at various venues in 2018 and 2019. He pleaded guilty to the most serious count charging him with forcibly kissing a woman at a nightclub in September 2018.

CBS News reported that one of the accusers, Kelsey Harbert, was in the courtroom to give a statement. She was not pleased as she stated that Gooding “saw minimal repercussions” while she and other victims had to deal with the aftermath.

“The message he got today is that because of who he is the rules are different for him.”

Gloria Allred, who represented Harbert, also chimed in by saying, “It appears to be a prosecutorial gift to a celebrity who is undeserving of such an outcome.”

Gooding left the court without providing a comment.